Minister of Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal has held an interaction with promoters of newly-allotted integrated cold chain projects in New Delhi. Addressing them, the minister emphasised the need to set up integrated cold chain projects “on war scale” in the country for all-round development of India and for fast-tracking transformation of the Indian economy.
Badal said that given the challenge of post-harvest losses which currently are Rs 92,000 crore annually, the facilities set up by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries like 42 mega food parks and 234 cold chain projects (including 101 newly sanctioned cold chain projects) have created preserving and processing capacity of 139 lakh metric tonnes of agro-produce with a value of Rs 35,000 crore, which means that setting up of these projects and parks already undertaken would reduce post harvest losses substantially. She said that apart from reducing wastage, the projects will generate employment for 3.5 lakh persons and benefit 15 lakh farmers.
The minister also gave details about the steps being taken by the Ministry to build a strong, efficient and integrated supply chain for agri-produce, involving backward linkages with the farm, processing to add value to the farmerÂ’s produce, and creation of forward linkages through organised modern retail.
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